Bookshelf: Jodi Picoult (Songs of...)

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I don't think it's any surprise that I gave a Picoult book four stars. I pretty much love everything she writes. "Songs of the Humback Whale" is no exception.

"Songs of the Humpback Whale" is about the cross-country journey that mother-daughter duo Jane and Rebecca take from San Diego to Stow, MA after a fight between Jane and her husband Oliver. It's actually a story in two parts. It's about the journey from post-office to post-office, where Jane receives a letter from her brother Joley leading them from one random city to the next (picture Thelma and Louise, minus Brad Pitt and the driving off a cliff part). It's equally about what happens to both of them when they arrive in Stow at the apple orchard that Joley works at.

It's selfish of me, I know, but I really don't want to tell you anything more about the plot. Opened the book without even reading the back cover, and I think sometimes it's best to go into a book with a completely blank canvas. Here's what I will tell you... in typical Picoult fashion she tells the story from different perspectives. Jane, Oliver, Rebecca, Joley, Sam. I think it's a measure of just how brilliant an author is by the fact that they can write the same scene from multiple perspectives and you don't feel bored. In fact, the exact opposite.

The only thing that threw me for a loop was that Rebecca's part was written in reverse, so she began at the end of the story and worked backwards, and while I guess I understand why Picoult did that I got confused a few times as to where exactly I was in the story. Also, I didn't like knowing the ending so close to the beginning. But I suppose that can be chalked up to personal preference.

Anywho, if you like Jodi Picoult's other books and have not picked up "Songs of the Humpback Whale" then I highly suggest doing so. It's an easy read and yet there's so much emotion and story within the 346 pages. And now, after reading about apples for a week now, I think I might need to go bake a pie.

Happy Reading!
~Stephanie